Cooling system



Dec. 15, 1931.

L. C. NICHOLS COOLING SYSTEM Filed Oct. 2. 1930 Patented Dec. 15, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LOUIS C. NICHOLS, OF WAUWA'IOSA, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO ALLIS-CHALMEBS MANU- FACTURING COMPANY, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE COOLING SYSTEM Application filed October 2, 1930. Serial No. 485,841.

This invention relates to cooling systems and more particularly to cooling systems for radiators. It is, more specifically, applicable for the cooling of radiators for transformers and. other electrical apparatus.

One of the objects of the invention ,is to provide a method of and apparatus for cool ing radiators in which the cooling medium 1s caused to flow through the radiators to be cooled by induction or ejector action. Another object is to provide a method of and apparatus for effectively and simply cooling radiators of elongated type.

A further object is to minimizethe principal number of streams of cooling medium necessary for cooling radiators, and a more specific object is to provide a method of and apparatus for cooling radiators in pairs with a single main stream of impelling cooling medium.

A more specific object is the provision of a method of and apparatusfor cooling radiators which is inexpensive and eflicient.

Thenovel features of the invention will appear from this specification and the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof and disclosing one embodiment of the invention, andall these novel features are intended to be pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings: 7, v

Fig. 1 is an elevation of a tank equipped with radiators cooled in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 ,is a detail of Fig. 1 showing apparatus for coolin a pair of radiators, the radiators being in icated fragmentarily.

Fig.3 is a side elevation of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of Fig. 3, parts, includin the radiators, being omitted for the sake o clearness.

Fig. 5 is an elevation of theright hand end of Fig. 3, parts being omitted for clearness.

Fig. 6 is a detail.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings the cooling stem has been shown as it may be applied m connection with a transformer tank 1, or any other tank for containing electrical or heat-producing apparatus which it is desired to cool. In the case of a trans former or electrical apparatus the tank 1 is filled with an insulating medium such as oil.

Any desired number of radiators may be applied to the tank, these being arranged in pairs in accordance with the invention. In the illustrated embodiment there is one pair of radiators 2, 3 visible in end elevation. A radiator 4 is visible in side elevation, this radiator corresponding to radiator 3, and being one of another pair, the other radiator of the latter pair being behind radiator 4. In

are tubes disposed in any suitable manner to I leave air spaces therebetween. The headers 12, 14: are respectively connected to the tank '1 by means of pipes 6, 8, and the headers 13,

15 are likewise connected to the tank 1 by .pipe connections 7 9 respectively. The pipe connections may be seen in side elevation as corresponding to pipes 10 and 11 which connect the headers of radiator 4 to the tank 1.

A given pair of radiators 2, 3 is preferably so arranged that the members of each pair are parallel and spaced apart a mined amount. Beneath each palr of radiators is hung a housin 16 having an opening 17 at the to thereo To secure the best results, althoug 1 this is not absolutely essential, it is preferred to provide a conduit 18, here shown as of rectangular cross section and of a length in a horizontal direction in the embodiment disclosed, equal to substantially the side elevational width of'one of the radiators. The conduit 18 is suitably fastened to the housing 16 to enclose the opening 17 The conduit 18 is here shown as provided with any desired number of transverse baffles 19, these bafiies extending, as indicated in Fig. 3, from the upper to the lower end of the conduit 18. The conduit 18 is also pro redetervided with a longitudinally extending baffle 20, which is preferably located in the longitudinal plane of the conduit, this bafiie extending into the housing 16 and terminating at the lower wall thereof, t ereby dividing ing being adapted to abut against the under' side of the lower headers 13, of the radiators 2, 3 respectively. The casting 21 is here shown as provided with a recess 28 into which the head of a bolt 23 may be conveniently slipped, the bolt being assed through a plate 22, which plate is a apted to rest on the upper side of the headers 13,

a 15 respectively. The housing is closed at the right hand end in any suitable manner as by a plate 25 welded thereto.

The left hand end of the housing 16 as viewed in Fig. 3 has suitably fastened there-- to a shouldered casting 24, the shoulders of which are adapted to abut against the under sides of the headers 13, 15 respectively. The casting 21 is here shown as provided with a pair of recesses 29 into which the heads of olts 27 may be conveniently slipped, the bolts being passed through a plate 26 which is adapted to engage the upper side of the headers 13, 1-5 respectively.

The housing 16 may taper from its open to its closed end as shown though this is not essential.

The housing 16 is open at the left hand end as viewed in Fig. 3 and is here shown as rovided at that end with an annular castmg 30 fastened in any suitable manner to said housing. To the annular casting 30 is attached any suitable support 31 for a motor 34 arranged to drive a fan 35.

The open end of the housing 16 is here shown as provided with a downwardly bent elbow 32, the open end of which may be covered by a screen 33.

The operation of the cooling system is as follows. With the motor 34 in operation a blast of air is directed straight into the housing 16 by means of the fan 35. The vertical bafiie 2O minimizes the tendenc of the fan 35 to whirl the air in the housing 16. The air stream lines within the housing are as indicated by the arrows 39, a portion of the air blown into the housing entering each of the cells formed by the baffles in the conduit 18. The result is that the general stream of air leaving the conduit 18 is blown upwardly in a vertical direction, assuming the installation to be of a vertical type as shown in Fig. 1. This stream of air continues upwardly in a vertical direction in the space between the inner surfaces of the radiators 2 and 3, as indicated by the arrow 36. The surfaces of the radiators 2 and 3, which are adjacent the space between the radiators will be termed the inner faces whereas the surfaces on the o posite sides of the radiators willbe terme the outer faces. The high velocity stream of air issuing from the conduit 18 and proceeding upwards between the inner faces of the radiators 2, 3 produces a low pressure zone in the space between the radiators thereby causing air on the outer faces of these radiators to proceed inwards between the tubes of the radiators, and into the space between the inner faces of the radiators, as indicated by the arrows 37 and 38 for example. It will thus be apparent that by means of a single main stream of air which is not directed against the radiating surfaces, a large number of stream lines of flow, each arising from a fresh source is induced to flow from the outer to the inner faces of the radiators between the transverse passages provided by the spaced tubes of the radiator.

It will be evident that while it is most economical and efiicient to associate the radiators in'pairs, the principle of cooling by induced flow of air may also be applied to a single radiator for if the inner face of radiator 3, for example, is replaced by an imperforate wall, the stream 36 will still in duce the air flow through radiator 2 such as indicated by arrows 37.

It is clearly not essential to the invention in its broader aspects that the air issuing from conduits 18 be supplied by rotary blowers, or by separate blowers.

It should be understood that it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact details of construction shown and described, for various modifications may occur to persons skilled in the art.

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a cooling apparatus for a pair of parallel spaced radiators, a single housing associated with both of said radiators, said housing having an outlet opening directed toward the space between said radiators, a blower of the rotary fan type in said housing, and means for minimizing the whirling effect of said fan on the air in said housing.

2. In a cooling apparatus for a pair of parallel spaced radiators, a single housing associated with both of said radiators, said housing having an out-let opening directed toward the space between said radiators, a battle extending in a plane parallel to said radiators and dividing said housing into two I parts, and means for blowing a stream of air into said housing.

3. In a cooling apparatus for a pair of parallel spaced radiators, a single housing associated with both of said radiators, said housing having an outlet opening directed toward the space between said radiators, a

bafile extending in a plane parallel to said radiators and dividing said housing into two parts, at least one baffle extending transversely to the aforesaid bafile, and means for blowing a stream of air into said housi i. In combination a pair of s aced ra 'ators disposed with their genera planes ver- 5 tical, said radiators each having a header at the lower end thereof, a housing disposed below said headers with its general longitudinal plane coinciding substantially with the general plane of the space between said N radiators, said housing having an outlet on its upper side disposed between said headers, and a conduit extending upwardly between said headers and connected to said opening.

5. In combination, a pair of spaced radia- M tors disposed with their general planes vertieal, said radiators each having a header at the lower end thereof, a housing disposed below said headers with its general longitudinal plane coinciding substantially with the w general plane ofthe space between said radiators, said housing having an outlet on its upper side disposed between saidheaders, a conduit extending upwardly between said headers and connected to said opening, and 25 bafie means dividing said conduit into vertically extending cells.

in testimony whereof, the signature of the inventor is aiiixedllligreto.

U18 0. NICHOLS.

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